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In December 2016, 31 different layouts projecting on some changes planned to the status of environmental areas were sent to the Muğla Cosmopolitan Municipality. Those changes were about the natural sites within the borders of the Cosmopolitan city of Muğla and this was a so-called renewed evaluation which is named as “Scientific reports of 4-season ecologically based research” in the frame of “Regulations related to the Bases and Methods to Define, to Determine and to Licence the Protected Areas” as well as “The Technical Bases related to the evaluation of Protected natural areas” by the Turkish Ministry for Environment and Urban Planning.

However, we, the local citizens, were not informed about this plan, which is directly related to our own lives in the area, until a report on the plan prepared by the Muğla Cosmopolitan Municipality Council was accepted overwhelmingly in one of their sessions and announced for the public opinion. Immediately afterward, we, the representatives of NGOs sensitive to the protection of nature and individual citizens from all the sub-regions of Muğla i.e. Muğla Centre, Bodrum, Milas, Akyaka, Fethiye, Marmaris, Datça and Köyceğiz came together and discussed the situation.

While evaluating the situation we formed separate workgroups for each sub-region effected by the said plan within the borders of Muğla and assessed the results altogether. The common view derived from all the work done can be itemized as below:

1- In the preparation process of this plan no information provided to the local people, management and the NGOs. Therefore, there is no local involvement or contribution made by the locals.

2- If the changes envisaged in the plan are realized the Natural Sites in Muğla region will be opened for the settlements and constructions, and this will cause a massive destruction in the coastal areas, wetlands, olive farms, forests and water reservoirs.

3- This project by the Ministry do not agree with many scientific studies realized in the area, either. In case of the envisaged plans realised, there will be irreparable damages in many fields such as agriculture, livestock, olive farming, beekeeping / apiculture, blue cruise / yachting and eco-tourism. As a result, there will be no natural inheritance left in the area to pass to the upcoming generations.

As the subject involves all the citizens of Muğla and Turkey and because it will determine what kind of a nature and environment will be left for the next generations, we all agree on the importance of acting all together.

So, we decided establishing the Muğla Environmental Platform (MUÇEP) in order to fight as a stronger group against the realisation of such an unacceptable plan which will cause any kind of ecologic damages for the natural sites in the area and constructions based on the annuity benefits of individual people and/or certain groups.

Our aim is to make sure that any management plans for the Muğla region are made without causing irreparable damages to the nature which is the source of life not only for us but for the whole region, and a holistic approach is adopted to act through a common mind with the involvement of public institutions, local authorities, citizens, experts, NGOs and the scientists.

Departments

Secretariat

It is responsible of coordinating the activities of Commissions and / with the workgroups within MUÇEP, of organising the meetings and of internal and external communication.

Legal Commission

Scientific Commission

Main working areas of this commission are analysing the effects of plans and investments for the Muğla region in the general frame of protecting Natural reserves as well as the possible results of new laws and regulations, keeping an inventory for the scientific studies realised or to be realised in the area and contributing in the preparation of scientific justification reports for the legal processes to be started.

Media and Communication Commission

Providing technical support in the media and social media for the activities by MUÇEP, preparing materials for publicity and managing the website and social media accounts of the platform are the main responsibilities of this commission.